Much like in baseball, softball players have a number of options to score scholarships
outside of their intended college programs. Summer leagues are a particularly good
source if you play in one or have played in one, and also a good place to gain exposure
if you are going for a college-funded award. Many of these local scholarships look
beyond talent if they consider it at all, and instead take into account academic
achievements, financial need, extracurricular activities outside of softball, community
service, and overall character.
ADVERTISEMENT
Most of the larger schools also have scholarship funds offered by alumni who have
played on their college team, and funding dedicated to drawing talented softball
players to that college. College-based funding is regulated by an outside organization
like the NCAA, so eligible players will need a minimum GPA in addition to a proven
track record on the field.
Check out some examples of how to find softball scholarships below. For additional
information about awards based on different criteria, try conducting a free college
scholarship search at Scholarships.com.
NCAA Scholarships
About $1 billion in full and partial athletic scholarships are awarded each year
by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to more than 126,000 undergraduate
student-athletes at Division I and Division II schools. Although these scholarships
are awarded and administered directly by each academic institution, not the NCAA,
you’ll be required to meet the requirements of the NCAA to receive any funding.
Those requirements include a minimum GPA for both the college-bound and those already
on campuses, and qualifying standardized test scores. Contact your intended school’s
athletic department for more information if you have the academics and the skill
to play on a college team.
College-Based Scholarships
If you plan on playing softball in college, whether on a varsity team or on the
club level, your intended college could have funds and endowments set up by alumni
who played the sport before you ever set foot on that campus or in honor of relatives
and important figures to your school. Southeastern Community College in Iowa, for
example, awards the Marion Schmidt Softball Scholarship. Students who have signed
a letter of intent to play softball on the school’s team and maintain a 2.0 GPA
for freshmen and 2.2 GPA for sophomores are eligible. Make sure you do your research,
and talk to your financial aid office and athletic departments about local and college-based
awards you could be eligible for.
Established by Alliance Pipeline in 2001, this scholarship will be awarded on an annual basis to a student-athlete who demonstrates strong academic performance. The student must maintain a 3.0 GPA and participate in an intercollegiate sport. The amount of the scholarship will be determined by January of each year by the Director of the University Advancement based on the interest earnings in the [...] More
To be eligible for the Augustana College Athletic Grant, students must earn at least a 3.0 GPA while enrolled at Augustana to maintain these scholarships in subsequent years. these grants are awarded to outstanding student-athletes; NCAA Division II, Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's website. [...] More
The Billy Smith Memorial Scholarship provides educational resources for graduation high school baseball or softball players who intend to pursue a sports-related college degree. Applicant must be a graduating high school senior, reside in Winnebago, Boone, Ogle or Stephenson County, have played at least three years of baseball or softball in high school, including senior year, must major in a [...] More
The Athletics Scholarship is available to student-athletes in CCU's College of Undergraduate Studies who are recommended for scholarship consideration by the CCU Athletics Department. Recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress, unless otherwise noted by the Athletics Department. Prospective student athletes should contact their specific coach for further information. Must be a [...] More
The Mike Lozano Scholarship is given annually to a graduating high school senior athlete from the northernmost 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. A minimum 2.0 GPA is required and students must be interested in pursuing a degree in education and/or coaching for the purpose of teaching and coaching at the high school level upon graduation from college. For more information or to apply, please [...] More
President Biden and Congress are debating on cancelling thousands of dollars in student loan debt. As that discussion continues to unfold, it’s worth noting that since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, student borrowers have collectively saved over $90 billion dollars in federal student loan debt. [...]
A growing number of colleges and universities are requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend college this fall. More than 200 colleges across the country have made COVID vaccinations an official requirement for the Fall 2021 semester, including Rutgers University, Notre Dame, Cornell College and Duke. It’s a unique case for colleges who, while requiring students to have certain immunizations in the past, have not faced a challenge quite like COVID. [...]
This Saturday, students across the country will be making a big decision: Where will they go to college? National College Decision Day is May 1st, when students formally accept admission at a college and make it official with a deposit. Last year, many schools pushed their decision day back from May 1st to June 1st, but this year most colleges and universities returned to the traditional May 1st date. [...]
